Mustache of the Week

I want to start a weekly tradition on this blog: the mustache of the week. To qualify, the man must first sport a manly mustache. In addition, I'd prefer him to be a great American but he could be an international who has aided the American cause oversees. Patriotism is a must. Hopefully this weekly series will introduce people to men who have shaped history, made America a better place, and unfortunately aren't that well known. I'm sure some will be, but not all will.

For the first, who better than the man who started Mustache March, AF Brig. Gen. Robin Olds. Commissioned in 1943 and given his pilot's wings but General H. H. Arnold himself, he became a triple ace, with 17 kills, in two wars in three airframes. Originally flying P-38s out of England in WWII, Olds splashed 6 Germans in his Scat 1. Upgrading to the P-51, he downed 7 more (three in one day) in Scat V. Missing the Korean War because of the exchange program with the RAF, commanding an RAF fighter wing, now Col. Olds would see combat in Viet Nam. He was 44 years old when he began flying F-4s out of Ubon, Thailand. He would go ahead and down four MiGs. It was Olds' genius that allowed the AF to win the skies over Viet Nam. Using electronics from the less agile F-104 put on a flight of slow flying F-4s, the AF was able to draw communist MiGs into the sky to meet their death. All said, Olds flew 259 combat missions. But his career was not over. In 1968, he was promoted to Brig. Gen. while serving as Commandant of Cadets at the AF Academy. And it was stateside that Olds finally had to shave his handlebar mustache. He wore the "bulletproof mustache" through two wars and in spite of AF regulations stating otherwise. Being oversees it was tolerated as a silent protest and inspiration to the younger pilots. However, it took a direct order in person from Chief of Staff of the Air Force himself to Olds to get him to shave the mustache. Ever since, the Air Force has practiced the good natured act of defiance during the month of March. It has spilled over into the civilian world as the same tradition. General Olds retired in 1973 after an inspection tour (and several unauthorized combat flights) of Thailand AF instillations. Seeing the sad state of things, Olds offer to be demoted to Colonel so he could go back and fix all the problems he saw. The AF denied his request. He retired. General Olds died in his home just days short of his 85th birthday on 14 June 2007. He has been enshrined in the the National Aviation Hall of Fame and the College Football Hall of Fame for his West Point days as both an offensive and defensive tackle. While Olds led a storied career in the AF, his personal life was unfortunately marred by his drinking. One divorce, a separation, a DUI, and 72 hours of community service while serving a one year probation for resisting arrest. If only the Air Force would have listened to him more. They listened enough to award him the Air Force Cross, Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, three Silver Stars, six Distinguished Flying Crosses, forty Air Medals, and an Air Force Commendation Medal in addition to his foreign awards. In addition to his personal awards, his F-4 Phantom Scat XXVII with its four MiG kills was retire from service and placed in the National Museum of the United States Air Force. I have been there, I have touched it.

There you have it, folks, this week's mustache of the week: AF General Robin Olds